But it takes a lot more than an emotional high to outscore the Packers. It also takes a well-rounded quarterback proficient enough to outduel Aaron Rodgers. Rookie Andrew Luck was just that, and more.

Luck, the Colts’ first overall pick in the 2012 draft, has his first signature victory. Wearing the same jersey number as Rodgers (12), he used many of the same winning attributes to help turn a 21-3 Packers halftime lead into a successful 27-6 Colts comeback run.

Luck (31-for-55, 362 yards, two touchdowns, interception) made smart decisions in spreading the ball to seven receivers all over the field. He handled an up-tempo, no-huddle offense like a veteran. He used his mobility to survive a relentless Packers pass rush and picked good spots to run (6 carries, 24 yards, TD).

Elite passers such as Rodgers are ultimately judged, however, by what they do with the game on the line. With his team down five, Luck answered Rodgers with a masterful 13-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the final four minutes. It was highlighted by his continued great chemistry with go-to wide receiver Reggie Wayne (five catches for 64 of those 80 yards, including the game-winning TD). The biggest play came from Luck’s legs—a determined 7-yard third-down run to set up the score.

In addition to Stanford-Cal bragging rights over Rodgers, Luck also proved just how good he already he is, and how great he can be. He joined last year’s No. 1 pick, Carolina’s Cam Newton, in throwing for 300-plus yards in his three of his first four NFL games.

Like Newton did with Steve Smith, Luck also has taken advantage of having a savvy, accomplished wideout such as Wayne to get rolling early. Wayne, who chose to stay in Indianapolis in the post-Peyton Manning era, added to the hottest start in his career by making tough catch after tough catch against the Packers (13 for 212 yards in all).

Wayne should know what greatness is after his 11 years with Manning that included a long touchdown that helped the Colts win a Super Bowl. He already isn’t holding back his high praise for Luck.

“He’s going to be special, he really is,” Wayne told reporters after the game.

The 2-2 start and upset of the Packers shouldn’t be looked as the end of the feel-good story for Luck’s rookie season, but rather just the beginning.

The Colts play only two teams that currently have a winning record the rest of the way—the Patriots and Texans (twice). The .500 Jets are vulnerable at the moment, and there also are winnable games with the Dolphins, Browns, Jaguars, Bills, Lions, Chiefs and Titans (twice). There are enough chances to have a fair shot at the AFC’s second wild-card berth.

Going into Week 5, it looked like the other marquee quarterback taken at the top of the draft—Washington’s Robert Griffin III—would run away with offensive rookie of the year. That took a quick turn on Sunday, not only with Luck’s play, but with the fact Griffin suffered a concussion in his team’s loss to Atlanta. Griffin has been dazzling, but in the short term, Luck is more durable and with a better path to the playoffs.

The Colts were used to making the playoffs every year with a healthy Manning. If Luck keeps playing like this against many quarterbacks not as gifted as Rodgers, the wait for him to become special won’t be long.

Packers in a peck of trouble?

The Packers’ loss in Indianapolis was tough enough as they fell to 2-3, but they also had to see both the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears move to 4-1 atop the NFC North with easy victories during the late afternoon window. The Packers already are hampered by the controversial defeat in Seattle, a game they will always be chasing in 2012. The bad news is they have two more tough road games before they return to Lambeau Field to host Jacksonville in Week 8. The first is at undefeated Houston next Sunday night, and then a trip to face a much-improved St. Louis team.

There is some good news, however, that should give Green Bay no reason to panic, yet. The team is 1-0 with a win over Chicago in its only division game, and five of its final nine are at home. If the Packers cam dominate the North competition like they did in 2011 and steal a marquee road game against either the Texans or Giants, they will be a playoff team. They won’t be 15-1 and are unlikely to be a top-two seed anymore. But with Green Bay, it’s just all about getting in now to make a run at the Super Bowl—just like the team did in 2010.

Ravens not about style points

The Baltimore Ravens’ fancy new passing offense stagnated at Kansas City, but they left it to their old playmaking defense to come through. When the Ravens won the Super Bowl with Ray Lewis leading the way in 2000, they won a lot of games with field goals, much like their 9-6 escape from the Chiefs.

Giving up 214 rushing yards on 50 attempts wasn’t characteristic, but completely shutting down the passing game (124 yards) and forcing four turnovers certainly were. The current edition of the Ravens is a versatile team that can win in many ways, making them most dangerous to win any kind of matchup, no matter how pretty or how ugly.

The young Bengals were upended at home against Miami, and the Steelers, even with their hard-fought win over Philadelphia, have some lingering issues related to age. The Ravens remain the most well-rounded team in the AFC North, and will defend their title. They have already beaten the Patriots in a shootout, and if they can beat the Texans in Week 7, they would be the new AFC favorites.

Extra points

— Griffin is a dynamic athlete who brings the entire Redskins’ offense to life. But he needs be more careful with how he takes off downfield. He’s only 6-1, and isn’t built to take hard hits like the one he drew from Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon in the third quarter of an eventual 24-17 loss. It’s a delicate balance—his running ability makes him special, but in the longer term, because of how good he is as a passer, Washington would be wise to scale back the rushing part of his game even further.

— The Falcons remained one of two unbeaten teams in the NFL with their calm comeback to beat the Redskins. Matt Ryan rebounded quickly from a bad half to torch the Redskins’ secondary interchangeably with Tony Gonzalez and Julio Jones. The big development is how the passing game has opened up opportunities running back Michael Turner to keep making critical plays—like the go-ahead late touchdown.

— The real San Francisco 49ers have been on display in their back-to-back routs of the Jets and Bills. They keep pounding overmatched offenses and grounding defenses with their power rushing attack that now includes backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick. As for starting quarterback Alex Smith, it was nice to see them letting him loose to his wide receivers with his three impressive touchdowns to Kyle Williams, Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham. The Niners are hinting at being a more complete, more dominant team than from a year ago.

Injury report

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (concussion). Washington's offense is built around Griffin, and if he needs to miss time, it would be tough for his backup, fellow rookie Kirk Cousins, to keep up the efficiency. There was a good indication of that when Cousins threw two interceptions in relief against Atlanta.

Steelers S Troy Polamalu (calf) and OLB LaMarr Woodley (hamstring). It seems to be one of those years where Polamalu just can't stay on the field. And just as James Harrison returns, the team loses Woodley, its other key edge pass rusher. The Steelers can get by with backups at the positions against the Titans' struggling offense on Thursday, but their defense can't afford to be without either Polamalu or Woodley for the long term.

Saints TE Jimmy Graham (ankle). Graham was banged up making a catch on Sunday night, and given that athleticism and leaping ability are key elements to his game, New Orleans needs to be careful here. The Saints' red zone and third-down offense would take equal hits, making Drew Brees lean even more on Marques Colston as his big possession target.

Packers NT B.J. Raji (ankle) and RB Cedric Benson (foot). Adding injury to the insult of losing a big lead at Indianapolis, the Packers' 3-4 defense may not have Raji for a while. And the scheme isn't the same without him as its linchpin against the run. The Packers are in better position to survive a temporary loss of Benson, as Alex Green has shown great burst as his replacement.

Chiefs QB Matt Cassel (concussion). Last week, coach Romeo Crennel left open the possibility of turning to Brady Quinn if Cassel (two interceptions, two fumbles lost) continued to struggle, which he did against the Ravens. Now Crennel's hand has likely been forced to go with Quinn in the short term.

Browns LB D'Qwell Jackson (concussion). Jackson is an irreplaceable all-around playmaker for the Browns. He is especially good against the pass, whether pass rushing effectively or shining in coverage. Winless Cleveland can't afford any more holes in its back seven, which struggled mightily against the Giants.